Jude returns to the Court of Shadows expecting Cardan to remain bound and subdued. Instead, the Roach, the Ghost, and the Bomb have untied Cardan’s hands and are drinking and playing cards with him over stolen jewels and wine. Cardan has won them over by telling them where to find the old king’s valuables, which alarms Jude because Cardan’s charm could weaken her authority and threaten any plan involving the Court of Shadows.

Jude reasserts that Cardan is her prisoner and takes him into Dain’s former office, locking the door behind them. Angry, frightened, and tempted to remove Cardan as a threat, Jude points Dain’s crossbow at Cardan. Cardan admits he is nervous, says he knows he deserves Jude’s anger, and promises to answer Jude’s questions if Jude gives her word not to shoot him.

Jude questions Cardan about Taryn and Locke. Cardan reveals Locke began courting Taryn months earlier with secret meetings and romantic gestures, possibly first to make Nicasia jealous and perhaps because either mortal twin would have suited Locke’s game. Cardan also admits that Locke stole Nicasia from him and that Cardan loved Nicasia, a confession that exposes real hurt beneath Cardan’s usual cruelty.

Jude then asks why Cardan wanted Jude dead. Cardan denies wanting Jude killed and says he only meant to frighten Jude with the nixies, insisting that he is not a killer. When Jude tells Cardan that Valerian tried to murder her twice, Cardan realizes he underestimated Valerian’s violence and admits Valerian liked causing pain, even to Cardan.

Pressed to explain his hatred, Cardan says he resented Jude because Madoc loved Jude despite Jude being human, while Cardan’s own father neglected Cardan and Balekin abused Cardan. Cardan also resented Jude because Locke used Jude and Taryn in the drama with Nicasia and because Balekin mocked Cardan after Jude bested Cardan in the tournament. Jude counters that Cardan has no right to envy Jude’s life under the man who murdered Jude’s parents, revealing Jude’s own fear and anger.

When Jude demands the deepest reason for Cardan’s hatred, Cardan is forced by truthfulness to admit that Cardan thinks of Jude often and cannot stop. Jude suspects manipulation, trades the crossbow for a dagger, and approaches Cardan to test him. Seeing genuine shame, panic, and desire on Cardan’s face, Jude realizes Cardan wants Jude and hates that fact, then brings her mouth to Cardan’s.